Hello, dears! Once again, I have returned with a doozy of a chapter for you! First, onto the love though! Kira-Lime Orijima, AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE! Bitblondetoday, thank you so much, and yes, we all need a Sebastian in our lives! HeidiFox, please do and let me see it! I'll love you forever! Katt, don't feel bad, everyone gets buy! I'm just glad you're still enjoying the story, love! UnicornPJ'sDirk, adirkable is what I aim for. Thanks so much! Rai Rai Blue, I am updating not because you told me to, but because it worked out this way! So there! AND YEAH RIGHT, BRING IT! OHHHHH SHIITAAT, all our kokoros should dirki dirki. IamLex, THANK YOU DAHDBSB! katloveskatz, thanks for reviewing every chapter you missed! Haha, I like hearing the thoughts on the individual chapters and not as a lump. The Magnetic Witch, John is a shit, he really is. Thank you! And to all of you, thanks for sticking with me. Here's an update!

Boiling Point

-golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 21:08-

GT: Hey its letting me pester you!

GT: Well you DID say it would sometimes...when you allowed it.

GT: Yes well i suppose youre busy.

-golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 23:20-

-golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 10:12-

GT: Alright this is getting rather ridiculous! Who are you!

GT: Why are you bothering me?! WHY DO YOU KEEP LOCKING ME OUT OF MY DADBLASTED COMPUTER?

-golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 12:00-

-golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 17:02-

GT: I am actually starting to doubt your existence. Am i going loony?

GT: No that seems unlikely to me unless i really am somehow sleepwalking and locking myself out of things? But then it seems like maybe dirk would notice? Is he in on this with you? Are the two of you pulling my leg?

-golgothasTerror [GT]ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 19:12-

-golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 01:02-

GT: I give up! GIVE UP I SAY!

GT: YOU ARE NOT BOTHERING ME ANYMORE MY GOOD PERSON.

GT: As far as i am concerned you are not real.

-golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 01:07-

-golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 10:00-

GT: I AM STARTING TO HATE YOU!

GT: No thats very mean and unfair of me perhaps you are just busy and naturally an unpleasant person in general.

GT: BUT I DISLIKE YOU A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT LET US JUST BE CLEAR ON THAT SIR OR MADAM.

-golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 10:10-

"Jakey, are you okay?" Roxy asks him when he starts banging his phone against the counter. Dirk glances at him, but has learned to not ask who he's trying to talk to, and Jake has the suspicion that all his friends think he's insane.

"I'm alright," Jake says, blowing some air to push his bangs away from his forehead. He and Dirk are visiting Roxy at work, which they really should not be doing. Roxy works in a pet store, and Jake has the urge to buy every single one of the animals he comes across. They're standing with her at the counter right now, Roxy complaining about the internet and engaging Dirk in tech talk. Jake can't follow any of it.

"If you say so," Roxy grins. "But I don't think 'alright' is the word I'd use to describe a guy who just tried to bash his phone in."

"I wasn't going to bash it," Jake argues, observing one of the ferrets out of the corner of his eye. The little guy is pressed up against the glass, looking at him and Dirk longingly, practically begging them to take him home. Jake makes his way over to the glass cage and bends down to run his finger along the glass. He laughs a little when the ferret follows his finger.

"Aww, Jakey, you're so good with animals," Roxy calls over to him.

"Well, I should hope so! Seeing as how I lived with them for my whole life. When you live on an island with only animals for company, you get used to them," Jake says as he stands up straight again.

"I'd let him out so you could hold him, but then you'd want him, and that'd be real sad," Roxy sighs. "Janey wouldn't let us keep him, and you're not mature enough for a pet."

"Now just hold on a minute!" Jake yelps, offended. He whirls to face her and Dirk, only to find both of them are grinning at him, making fun of him. Grumbling, he crosses his arms and rejoins them at the front.

"So you really think you can fix it, Di-Stri?" Roxy asks Dirk, continuing their conversation from before.

"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard. Seems like your boss should hire someone to do it for you, though. It's kinda their job," Dirk replies.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Roxy scowls. "She's a real scatterbrain and she forgets to do a lot. You'd really be helping me out!"

"What is he doing?" Jake asks in a last ditch effort to understand their babble.

"He's gonna fix the internet. It's been messed up forever, and I can't even pull up my apps half the time 'cause our Wi-Fi is so uber shitty."

"Shouldn't take too long," Dirk says as he hops over the counter.

"Thanks a zillion, Dirk-a-Dirk," Roxy giggles, swatting Dirk's arm as he passes her to go observe the computer in the far corner.

"I think I'll go on home then," Jake says. Roxy and Dirk both turn to frown at him.

"Are we boring you?" Roxy asks.

"Not at all!" Jake says hurriedly, only lying slightly. "I'm just extremely tired, is all. I think I'll go take a quick snooze on the couch or something while the two of you get this problem sorted out. I'll not do anything useful here, anyhow."

"If you wouldn't stay up so late with that damn phone," Dirk grunts, prying something off the computer while he talks, "then you wouldn't be so tired."

"I hardly remember asking for your input, sir!" Jake argues, ducking when Dirk tosses a pen at him. Roxy shakes her head with a grin as she leans on the counter.

"You still talkin' bout that ghost, Jakey?" she asks.

"Yes! It's real! I swear I'll find some way to prove it to you!"

"You're reading too much into it," Roxy says. "I mean, it's totes obvi who you're supposed to call to fix this problem."

"It is?" Jake asks.

"Ghostbusters."

Dirk snorts while Roxy full on laughs at him, and Jake scowls at them both while he makes his exit.

Walking down the street by himself in the late morning, as silly as it seems, is extremely accomplishing for Jake. Visiting Roxy or Jane at work used to seem like an impossibility because of all the people out and about during their shifts. He doesn't feel as stuck as he did before, and that in itself is worth being proud of, as he never felt trapped in his entire life as he did in the confines of the city. Sometimes he finds himself wishing he could go back home- to the island- but he doesn't think he'll be doing that any time soon, if ever. It won't be home anymore.

Not without her.

Besides, he's making a home for himself here, with Jane, Roxy, and Dirk. And despite all he's had to get used to, all the assimilation and confusion, he's happy here. He didn't think he'd ever call anywhere else home, but that's the only word he can use to describe it. He's home.

He smiles to himself at the thought of such a ludicrous thing, the thought that nothing is as he thought it would be, and he's absolutely fine.

"I've seen the future, dear. I've seen us sitting here, this exact moment, having this exact conversation. And you were absolutely fine afterwards."

"You were right, Gramma," he says to no one except himself. Well, maybe he's saying it to the ghost, since he feels like he's always being watched.

Speaking of the ghost, he still doesn't know exactly how to deal with it. All the books he has says spirits generally don't mean any harm, but seeing as how all his friends think he's absolutely insane, and he spends a high amount of time trying to break into his own electronics, he thinks harmless isn't quite right. Whoever the spirit is won't talk to him right now, and he desperately needs answers. Mainly why they attached to him. Is it because of his blood, like Dirk? But then again, Dirk always says their connection isn't because of blood, at least, not entirely. Jake needs answers from more than just the ghost, but somehow, getting an answer from a specter seems easier than getting an answer from a stubborn demon.

When he gets back to the apartment, he tosses his keys on the counter and flops on the couch. He wasn't lying about the nap idea. He was up late the night before, pouring over his books, ignoring Dirk's less than subtle remarks that he was being stupid, all for trying to contact the damn thing attached to him- with no luck. Sighing, he buries his face in the cushions, waiting for sleep to claim him.

But then his phone chimes.

Curious, he ignores his heavy eyelids and opens the message, still surprised he's able to unlock his phone with no hassle.

-tipsyGnostalgic [TG] opened memo on board new wifi bitches-

TG: distri fixed it up real good this is so great

TG: web pages opening super fast this is no longer the stone ages fuck yes

-gutsyGumshoe [GG] responded to memo!-

GG: That's great! But is this memo really necessary?

TG: its totes necessary cause im experimenting with the wifi

TG: this is hands on practice here

TG: scientific know how!

GG: Good lord, Roxy.

-timaeusTestified [TT] responded to memo!-

TT: In my defense, I didn't know she was going to do this with the enhanced signal.

GG: Hello, Dirk! And don't worry about it, she's always finding reasons not to work like she's supposed to.

TG: hey!

TT: I can believe that.

TG: screw both yall!

GG: Also, Dirk, thank you again so much for Sebastian! He's absolutely heavenly around the bakery! He's stirring batter for me right now!

TT: Glad you like him. He's a pretty rad machine, if I say so myself.

TG: yeah ignore me like im not here! wheres my jakey hell talk to me

TT: Hopefully asleep.

-golgothasTerror [GT] responded to memo!-

GT: No such luck! I was about to but then my phone went off!

GG: So you're able to unlock it now?

TG: his ghostie got bored with him

GT: Go ahead and poke fun all you want i dont care!

GG: It's just hard to believe that's all, Jake. No one's making fun of you.

TG: i sort of am :3

GG: Yes, well. Roxy is.

GT: Go on and think im taking the mickey but there is something here and ill prove it somehow!

TT: I think you should do all that after a nap, Detective English.

GG: Oh, Dirk, please don't tell me you believe this ghost nonsense.

TT: Not entirely, but who am I to judge? Stranger things have happened, believe me.

GT: *manly and NON SUGGESTIVE wink*

TG: aw u guys are so cute

EB: yeah, you guys are super cute.

GT: HEY!

TG: hey?

EB: there's no need to shout! it's rude, you know.

GT: I have been trying to contact you for THREE DADBLASTED DAYS AND YOU BLOODY WELL KNOW IT!

EB: i told you it is not always easy to talk to me! maybe i was busy!

GT: Oh what malarkey you are just trying to mess with me some more and i wont have it!

TG: jakey?

GG: What are you talking about?

GT: What do you mean what am i talking about ectobiologist is on this chat cant you see that?

GG: Jake, it's only us four in here.

EB: yeah, jake, you're being crazy!

GT: SHOW YOURSELF TO THEM YOU SCOUNDREL THIS HAS GONE FAR ENOUGH!

EB: i don't know what you're talking about!

EB: hehehehe.

GT: I AM GOING TO WRING YOUR GHOST NECK I SWEAR TO EVERYTHING!

TG: jake english is losin it evrybody

TG: *everybody

TT: Yeah, I'm already like halfway there, don't worry.

GG: Poor thing, he's just so stressed and being tired isn't helping, I'm sure.

EB: hey, you wanna see something cool?

GT: Er...not really!

GT: no, i really am crazy! i think all this stress has gotten to me!

TG: uh

GT: THATS NOT ME ITS THE GHOST!

GT: did i ever tell you guys i secretly have a foot fetish?

GT: I do *NOT*!

GT: all the feet, guys. ALL of them.

GT: YOU ARENT EVEN TYPING LIKE ME!

GT: i am you.

GT: You most certainly ARE *NOT* FUCKING ME!

GT: /raises eyebrows.

GT: I DIDNT MEAN IT LIKE THAT!

GT: suuuure.

TG: whao this memo turned 2 a disaster lmao

TG: *whoa

At that moment, the front door opens, and Dirk walks in, eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.

"Dude," he says, "what the fuck?"

"Dirk! Don't give me that look, just come look at my phone, there is someone else there on my half of the conversation!" Jake says desperately, standing to jog across the room. He holds his phone out to Dirk, who looks at it with a frown.

"I don't see anything," he says, and Jake looks at it himself, incredulously. Of course, he can't see the name ectobiologist there anymore, either. He looks at Dirk pleadingly.

"You believe me, right? I'm not making this up!"

"Yeah, babe, I believe you, okay. But I do think you could use some sleep," Dirk replies with a tone one might use to appease a toddler. Jake huffs at him and goes to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He falls into the bed unceremoniously, bundling himself in the blankets after placing his glasses on the bedside table. Curling up beside his phone, he waits for it to chime again so he can continue talking to ectobiologist again, but it remains silent. He falls asleep this way.

He wakes to the sound of soft murmuring, and a soothing hand in his hair. Mumbling his enjoyment at the treatment, he leans closer to the hand, opening his eyes to see who it is. To his surprise, it's Sebastian, red shades glowing. The murmuring is coming from the living room, through the crack in the door Sebastian must have made when he came in the bedroom.

"He's still asleep?" Jane's voice says, creaking through the cracked door. Jake can hear shuffling around.

"Yeah, has been since I got here," Dirk answers.

"I think Sebastian is in there with him," Jane giggles. "But really, what was all that about earlier? He had me thinking I needed to take off work or something! Was he trying to pull a prank on us? Because not to toot my own horn or anything, but I can prank the pants off him in return if this is a prank war!"

"Easy there, Princess," Roxy says. "You don't need to go traumatizing the guy with your prank mess."

"I think the sleep will probably help him," Jane says. "Poor Jake. He's been through so much! Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if all these new experiences are getting to him. Just imagining all the changes he's endured, and then losing his grandmother- I mean, we used to stay up late chatting, and he...he really loved her."

"Yeah," Roxy says quietly. "And then she got sick and he just got online less and less till he decided to bring her here. And we were happy, 'cause we wanted to help him and we couldn't do that from across the world... Imma go in there and curl up with him right quick."

"Roxy, no! You'll wake him up! Just let him sleep until dinner. Speaking of which, let's just order out tonight, I'm too tired to cook-"

Jake starts to tune them out. Rolling over, he intends to go back to sleep, but then, as if on cue, his phone goes off. He whirls around so fast that exclamation marks go off in Sebastian's glasses, and Jake pats his metal head in apology as he unlocks his phone.

-ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering golgothasTerror [GT] at 18:11-

EB: hi, jake!

GT: I am just...done with you. Consider the towel thrown in on this one chum.

EB: oh, don't be like that. i'm done messing with you, anyway. i've had my fun, but i've got a job to do.

GT: Why were you messing with me at all! My friends think all the bats were driven from the old cave and i was inclined to believe they were right!

EB: oh, man. "bats driven from the cave". you don't belong in this time period!

GT: KINDLY FUCK OFF.

EB: i can't do that! come on, let's start fresh here, okay.

GT: Who are you?

EB: an old friend. not that you'd remember me, though. but that's okay! it's my job to help you.

GT: Well youve done a shoddy job at it thus far!

EB: it's not my fault you're easy to mess with!

GT: Its not my fault you have a stick shoved up your ghost caboose!

EB: hahahahahahaha, ghost caboose!

GT: Yes i liked that one too!

EB: so you're really into movies too?

GT: Who told you that?

EB: another old friend. :)

GT: I see! More secrets from you! Just what i need in my life!

GT: But yes i love the cinema! It is the only thing in my life that makes sense anymore!

EB: dude, i have been there. what movies do you like?

GT: Oh what a broad question! I am absolutely enamored with james camerons avatar and all the bodacious blue babes gallavanting about the screen because golly how much simpler would life be if we had queues? Understanding one another would be easy as pie and i desperately need that with dirk in my life. But then i am also a sucker for the old movie classics like weekend at bernies and the meatball series! Bill murray is a genuis!

EB: weekend at bernie's and meatballs are the best! i've never seen avatar, but it sounds interesting! you've got good movie tastes!

GT: Its about time someone said so! I worked very hard on cultivating it! Youre an alright invisible chum when youre not being a dick!

EB: admit it though, i got you good.

GT: You did. I daresay you could give jane a run for her money.

EB: hehehe.

GT: So if were being civil now may i ask why youre conversing with me?

EB: oh, yeah. i'm your spirit guide.

GT: Spirit guide?

EB: you've seen it in the books you're reading, dude. i'm here to help you reach your potential. our circumstances are a little different from everyone else who reads those things, but the principle is the same. plus you've got a pretty tough road ahead of you.

GT: I do?

EB: would you like to know?

GT: I can really get straightforward answers out of you? Because that will be a first and i am not used to this at all!

EB: ugh, trust me, i know. i dealt with it too, back in the day. stupid jerky demons. but i'm not bound by any silly rules to keep you in the dark, and between you and me, i think it's best if you know some of these things!

GT: Yes thank you thats what ive said this entire time!

EB: but let's start small here. do you even know who you're trying to fight against?

GT: I have no clue. I wasnt even aware i was fighting anyone at all!

EB: oh yeah, you're fighting someone you probably don't know. but i know him, and you need all the practice you can get. this is what we're all here to help you accomplish.

GT: Who is it?

EB: a really strong demon. he's making some real big trouble in derse and prospit. we already tried to stop him before, but...let's just say things didn't work out too well. he's the one who...

GT: Is...he the one who killed you chum?

EB: yeah. yeah, he is. but that story is for another time. for now, i'll tell you this. he calls himself lord english, but that's not his real name.

GT: English?

EB: his real name is caliborn umbrage.

GT: Caliborn? But isnt that...

EB: yeah. he's your father, jake.

Sachi: One day, I will probably go to Hell for all these cliffhangers. BUT IT MIGHT JUST BE WORTH IT! :D Review for love and a faster update! I love every one of you!